“With so many options, sometimes the easiest thing to do is to go to a familiar restaurant, or just stay at home and watch a movie. As a result, we miss out on trying all the cool things our cities have to offer. By focusing on one good or service each day, Groupon makes it simple. And by leveraging The Point's framework for collective buying, Groupon is able to offer deals that make it very difficult to say no.”

All of which sounds very much like the type of web property Google would wish to hoover up into its online ad empire, assuming it gets the required regulatory nod from US officials, that is.